Electronic switch



March 17, 1953 Filed Jan. 12`, 195o E. A. GOLDBERG ELECTRONIC SWITCH INVENTOR ATTORNEY March i7, 1953 E. A. GOLDBERG 2,632,046

ELECTRONIC SWITCH mm. T'* ra nuff/6,149.1.

mwa if INVENTOR ATTORN EY Patented Mar.. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES SQQTENT GFFICE ELECTRONIC SWITCH poration of Delaware Application January 12, 1950, Serial No. 138,168

(Cl. Uil- 5.4)

16 Claims.

This invention relates broadly .to an elec-trically controlled electronic switch for coupling a signal source to .an output circuit. From a more specic aspect, the invention relates to an electronic commutator employing a plurality of electronic switches under -control of a common source of recurring waves for sequentially assigning a co-mmon transmission circuit to a plurality of branch circuits.

The electronic switch of the invention is in the nature of a keyer and is herein-after referred to as a sampler which responds to a control wave or p-ulse for enabling the passage therethrough of a sample of the intelligence to be carried by the system. A plurality off these electronic switches, each individual :to a particular branch circuit, may compose the electronic commutator, and are successively controlled by time displaced control waves, to thereby sequentially connect the individual Ibranch circuits for mutually exclusive (or, if desired, overlapping) time intervals to a common transmission medium. `Such electronic commute-tors are especially useful at the transmitting and receiving -terminals of ,a Itime division multiplex systern in which `the commutatcr functions to sequentially connect a common output circuit to a plurality of separate intelligence carrying branch circuits, or to connect a common input circuit to a plurality of separate intelligence reproducing branch circuits. At the transmitting terminal of a time division multiplex system, this transmission medium may be the common output circuit feeding any sui-table radio transmitter.

The ycommutator of the invention is particularly useful in a color television system, though not limited thereto, wherein the apparatus oi the invention samples color information from a plurality or individual branch circuits or color channels. The individual color channels are l0- cated at the terminal equipment. In such a col-or television system, :bits of video information at the transmitter emanating from three branch cir-cuits or color channels, such as green, red and blue,y each fed by the output of a separate color camera, are sequentially fed into `a common output circuit. Each color camera is responsive to a diierent one of three additivfely primary color componen-ts oi the color image to be transmitted. The output ci the commuta-tor comprises a series of pulses divisible into groups of three, the amplitude variations of each pulse or ci' a given group corresponding to the light intensity variations of the color component it rep- Lil resents. At the receiver, an electronic commutator operating in synchronism with the transmitter com-mutator, applies the demodulated pulses to .the three receiving branch circuits or color channels in a manner somewhat similar to the way the transmitter commutator operates.

Among the objects of the invention are: To enable the rapid and efficient sampling of an intelligence wave for very short time periods solely at a signal level exceeding a predetermined value, and with no loss in gain through the sampling apparatus; and, to provide an improved eleotron-ic commutator primarily applicable to dot sequential color systems, for sequentially coupling a common transmission medium to a plurality of color channels.

More speciiically, the electronic switch of the invention comprises a pair of electron discharge devices having a common cathode circuit in the form of a third electron discharge device. A source of signal intelligence or modulation to be passed by the switch is coupled to the third discharge device, while a source of recurring control waves is coupled to one of the `pair of discharge devices. The circuit components `are so interconnected that under the control of the recurring waves, current flows in series through the third discharge device and alternately through the pair of disch-arge devices. An output circuit is preferably coupled directly to that one of the pair of discharge devices .to which the controlling Waves are applied, for abstracting pulses at a rate not exceeding the repetition rate of the controlling waves. The amplitude of the output pulses is a function of the instantaneous amplitude of the modulation wave .applied to the common cathode circuit.

`The commutator of the invention, as used at the .transmitting terminal of the three-color television system, comprises three such electronic switches sequentially `controlled by phase-displaced control waves of the same frequency emanating from a single source. The diierent electroni-c switches have different signal or intelligence carrying Waves applied thereto. It should be understood that the number lof branch circuits or color channels may differ from three, in which case the commutator will comprise as many electronic switches as there are branch circuits.

At the receiving terminal of the three-color television system, the commutator voi the invention preferably uses one such electronic switch with two additional electron discharge devices properly interconnected to share the common cathode circuit with the pair of electron discharge devices. These devices are so arranged that the current ows -through the common cathode circuit or third discharge device and in series with but at different times through the other discharge devices.

Other objects will appear from a reading of the followingr detailed description which is accompanied by drawings, wherein:

Fig. l illustrates a simplified version of an electronic switch in accordance with the invention, given primarily to illustrate the principles involved;

Fig. 2 illustrates a preferred form of electronic switch of the invention;

Fig. 3 illustrates dia-grammatically, the transmitting terminal equipment of a three-color dot sequential television system employing a. commutator in which lthree electronic switches of the type shown in Fig. 2 are employed; and

Fig. 4 illustrates diagrammatically the receiving terminal equipment of a three-color dot sequential television system employing the commutator of the invention, for receiving the signals transmitted by the system of Fig. 3.

Referring to Fig. l in more detail, the electronic switch comprises a pair of evacuated electron discharge devices (vacuum tubes) 2 and 3 having their cathodes directly connected together by a connection ID and their anodes connected respectively through low value resistors Ei and 'I to the positive terminal of a battery B (source of unidirectional potential). Battery B is arranged in series with battery C to ground, and supplies a voltage of 300 volts positive to the anode resistors 6 and 1 relative to ground. The pair of discharge devices 2 and 3 have a common cathode circuit in which there is serially arranged a third evacuated electron discharge device I, as a result of which any current which flows through either device 2 or 3 must flow in series through discharge device I. Device I thus constitutes a space path impedance in the common cathode circuit of discharge devices 2 and 3.

The intelligence signal or modulation to be sampled or passed by the electronic switch of the invention is coupled to the grid of discharge device I by way of lead 8. This modulation is of positive polarity and may be a video color signal of varying amplitude with a D. C. component, or in the case of a telephone or telegraph system may be in the form of speech waves of varying amplitude or pulses of positive relative polarity.

The control electrode or grid of discharge device 3 is shown connected to the junction of batteries B and C so as to be supplied with a fixed voltage relative to ground, for example, 150 volts positive. The control electrode or grid of discharge device 2, while control waves are applied thereto, but between positive peaks of said control waves, has a potential suiciently less than the value of the xed voltage on the grid of device 3 to cause device 2 to cut oil, that is, cause the cessation of anode current now in this device. In this condition, the devices 2 and 3 are so biased that current normally flows through devices 3 and I in series. The current through device I is caused to change its path of flow from device 3 to device 2 under control of the positive peaks of control Waves emanating from source S, in turn, coupled to the grid of discharge device 2 through blocking condenser provided these positive peaks of the control waves make the grid of device 2 positive with respect to the grid of device 3 by a sufficient amount. Source S may produce sinusoidal waves or spaced D. C. pulses of positive polarity. It will thus be seen that the current flowing through the common cathode circuit discharge device I is caused to pass alternately through the discharge devices 2 and 3 under control of the recurring waves from source S, thus reversing the current passing condition of devices 2 and 3. Stated in other words, the anode current of discharge device I is commutated so as to flow for short periods of time through device 2 by means of the control waves or commutating signal applied to the grid of device 2.

A diode 4 shunted by a high value resistor 9 (of the order of 1 megohm to 3. 5 megohms) serves to limit the maximum D. C. value of the positive peaks of the control waves at the grid of discharge device 2, relative to ground. The cathode of the diode 4 is connected to a tapping point on battery B by way of lead L, and is maintained at a suitable positive potential relative to ground; for example, volts, to determine the critical voltage at which the diode begins to act as a shunt path for the control voltage Wave at the grid of device 2.

Output pulses are taken from the anode of discharge device 2 over lead 'I'. These output pulses are of short duration and have an amplitude which is proportional to the instantaneous amplitude of the modulation or intelligence signal applied to the grid of discharge device I.

A fuller exposition of the operation of the electronic switch will now be given: A positive polarity control wave is applied to the grid of device 2 and the peak D. C. value thereof is made to be greater than the positive bias on the grid of device 3 in order to reverse the current passing conditions of devices 2 and 3. As an illustration, if device 3 normally passes current in series with device I, the positive bias on the grid of 3 may be +150 volts relative to ground. In this condition, current flows through devices 3 and I in series, provided the grid of device 2 has a potential suflieiently less than +150 volts relative to ground to cause device 2 to be cut off. Let it be assumed that device I is conducting a current of 2 milliamperes, all of which is passing through device 3, and for such a magnitude of current at a value of anode voltage of device 3 relative to its cathode of approximately +150 volts, the grid-cathode voltage of tube 3 is 5 volts, with the cathode of device 3 positive with respect to the grid of device 3. Let it also be assumed that it requires a bias of 10 volts between the grid and cathode of device 2 to completely cut oil the flow of anode current through device 2 at approximately the same voltage of +150 volts appearing between the anode and cathode of device 2. In such a situation, then the potential of the grid of device 2 relative to ground must be +145 volts or less in order for device 2 to be cut off. To cause device 2 to conduct all of the current passing through device I, the voltage on the grid of device 2 must be raised to +155 volts relative to ground. Under this condtion, the cathode of device 2 relative to ground will be approximately volts, resulting in a net gridcathode voltage on device 2 of 5 volts with the grid negative relative to the cathode. In this last condition in which discharge device 2 conducts, the iiow of current through device 3 will cease because the cathode of device 3 is now l0 volts positive relative te its grid, an amount sufficient to bias device 3 to cut off. It will thus be seen that a change in the grid voltage of device 2 of volts is required vto completely switch the now of current from device 3 to device 2, and vice versa. If the peak value of the control waves is `not sufficient to completely switch the flow of current from device 3 to device 2, then both of these devices will share the current flowing through device I.

Because the voltage change on the anode of device I is relatively small compared to the D. C. anode voltage, the current flowing through device I will be fairly constant and independent of the switching action between devices 2 and 3. Hence, when all of the current passing through device I also passes through device 2, any further increase in positive voltage of the control wave applied to the grid of device 2 vwill not affect the amount of current flowing through device 2, provided the grid of device 2 does not draw grid current.

In order to obtain a hat rfrequency response characteristic in the output of the electronic switch, resistor 6 is given a small value, for example, 500 to 1000 ohms. Stated otherwise, the gain obtained in the output taken from the anode of discharge device 2 should be approximately constant over the video band of frequencies applied to the grid of device I. Such a video band of frequencies may extend from D. C. up to 4 megacycles. Resistor 'I may halve the same small value as resistor 6 or may even be zero in value.

When used for passing television picture signals, device i is preferably operated in the current cut-oir condition for a picture black level signal on its grid, so that there will be no pulse output from the anode of device 2 under this black level signal condition even during the application of a control wave to device 2 of a mag nitude which would normally turn on this device on a positive peak of the control wave.

The maximum D. C'. value of the positive peak of the control vwave at the grid of device 2, `relative to ground, is determined by the voltage on the cathode of diode rectifier l whose anode is directly connected to the grid of device 2, as shown. Thus, 'with the foregoing assumptions regarding anode voltages, if the cathode of diode d is maintained at +155 volts relative to ground, then the positive peak of the control wave as applied to the grid of device 2 will not appreciably exceed this value, because of the shunting action of the diode at +155 volts. The high value resistor 9 in shunt to the diode 4, actsy in combination with condenser 5 to form a timeconstant circuit, and serves as a bleeder across the diode. In many applications, the resistor E! can be ornited. Diode 4 is illustrative of any suitable rec-tier, and can take the form of a crystal, if desired.

From a practical viewpoint, the system of Fig. l has certain disadvantages, particularly when using high sampling frequencies (viz: control waves at high repetition rates)V which render it unsuitable. One of these disadvantages is that the anode-grid capacity of device 2 permits components of the sampling frequency of source S to appear on the anode of device 2 during the absence of current flow through device 2 and/or device I. Another disadvantage of Fig. 1 is that there is a tendency for device I to become nonlinear at signal levels near the anode current cutoff condition.

A more practical system vthan Fig. 1 is shown in Fig. 2 in which the foregoing disadvantages. are overcome. The system of Fig. 2 operates in a general sense in a manner :similar zto the foregoing description given for Fig. l.

Fig. 2 employs a plurality of pentode evacuated electron discharge devices :.(vacuum tubes) II, I2 and I3. The cathodes of devices I2 and I3 are connected together by lead 30, in turn, connected to the anode of device Il. The source of control waves S, which may be sinusoidal waves or recur ring pulses of positive polarity, is connected through blocking condenser I5 tov the control grid of device I2. The modulation signal (the video input for Vpicture signal in the case of television) is applied to the control grid of device II through blocking condenser 2I and over lead I3. It should be noted that the screen grids of devices I 2 and I3 are directly connected together through parasitic resistors R, and by way of lead 3 I to the positive terminal of a source of unidirectional current supply furnishing +300 volts `relative to ground. The anodes of devices l2 and I3 are connected to this same positive terminal identided as +300 v. through resistors I6 and I'I which preferably are of small value such as 500 to 1000 ohms. In this case, as in the case of Fig. 1, resistor I l maybe made to be of zero value. The suppressor grids of devices I2 and I3 are also connected together and through a lead 32 to a suitable point on the bleeder circuit comprising resistors 23, 24 and 25 in series. This point which is shown as being the junction ci resistors 2d and 5 may, by way of example be maintained at a value of volts relative to ground. The suppressor and control grids of device I3 are both directly connected together, as shown, in order to maintain the control grid of device I3 at plus 150 volts.

It should be noted that the suppressor grids of discharge devices I2 and I3 are not connected to the cathodes of their respective devices 4as might be expected if conventional practice were followed. The reason for this is that the cathodes of devices i2 and i3 fluctuate in Voltage during operation and a connection from the cathode to the suppressor of either device l2 or I3 would introduce an undesirable output voltage due to the capacitance within the tube between the anode and the suppressor grid. If desired, the connection between the two suppressor grids of devices I2 and I3 can be broken at device I3 in which case the suppressor grid of device I 3 can then be connected to its cathode, while still permitting a positive potential from lead 32 to appear on the suppressor grid of device I2 and on the control grid of device I3.

As in the case of Fig. 1 a rectifier I4, shunted by a high value resistor I9, is connected between the controll grid of device I2 and a voltage source for setting the D. C. value of the positive peaks of the control `.wave applied to the control grid of device I2. The cathode of rectifier I4 is shown connected via lead "27 to an adjustable tap on resistor 24. Thus, the voltage applied to the cathode of rectifier I4 may be approximately volts, by way of example.

In the case of modulation input signals which have no D. C. components, such as a television picture signal, it is necessary to establish a D. C. component which corresponds to the black level of the picture, and one way of doing this is to use a clamp diode 20 connected between the control grid of device Il and kground through a suitable network. It should be noted that the diode 20 has two electrode sections, with the cathode of one section and the anode of the other section connected to the control grid of tube II, and the remaining anode and cathode electrodes of the double diode connected through resistors and a potentiometer P to ground. Positive and negative pulses are simultaneously applied to leads 30 and 3| respectively, during the back porch of the video modulation input signal. This arrangement establishes the D. C. value for black level of the video signal on the grid of device I I. The manner of establishing the black level is well known in the television art and described in the literature, and is not being claimed herein per se.

The cathode of the pentode device II is connected to ground through resistor 25. The screen grid of device II is connected to the junction point of resistors 2'| and 28 forming a voltage divider. This point is chosen to provide the proper operating voltage on the screen of tube I I. Condensers 28 and 29 are bypass capacitors.

It should be noted that the cathodes of devices I2 and I3 which are connected together by lead 30 and to the anode of device II are also connected via resistor 22 to the positive terminal +300 volts. The reason for this is to insure the operation of device II always on the linear portion of its anode current-grid voltage characteristie for the entire range of useful picture modulation signal; that is, over the full range from black to maximum white, and that the device II does not operate on the lower non-linear portion of its anode current-grid voltage characteristic. Without this resistor 22, at the black level determined by the clamp circuit 20, the device I I would be cut off for Zero pulse output from the anode of tube I2. The connection through resistor 22 from the positive terminal +300 volts to the anode of discharge device II enables the passage of a small amount of current through device II and through resistor 22 independently of the paths through discharge devices I2 and I3. This small amount of current is selected to cause device II to operate at its lowermost point on its linear characteristic and this lowermost point corresponds to black level. Because this amount of current through resistor 22 never passes through devices I2 and I3 it does not appear in the sampled output on the anode of tube I2. By way of example only, the current drawn by device II, due to the presence of resistor 22, may be 1.5 milliamperes. The resistor 22 is properly chosen to achieve this result. As an illustration, resistor 22 may have a value of the order of 100,000 ohms for the particular values of voltages illustrated and assumed. In order for current to ow through device I2 01 I3 in series with device II, I

the anode current of pentode II must exceed 1.5 milliamperes and it is only the current in excess of 1.5 milliamperes which is actually sampled by the electronic switch. It will thus be seen that instead of device I I operating at cut-oli? for black level, as in the case of Fig. 1, it operates in Fig. 2 at an anode current at 1.5 milliamperes for black level, and that this now of current will assure zero pulse output from device I2 for a black level picture.

A brief description of the operation of the circuit of Fig. 2 will now be given. At black level modulation input, a small amount of current of about 1.5 milliamperes will flow through device II and resistor 22, but not through either one of devices I2 or I3. If at this time, the peak positive pulse of the control wave from source S is applied to the control grid of device I2, no current will flow through device I2. If, however, a modulation signal of positive polarity is applied to the control grid of device II via lead I8, which has a value greater than black and in the white direction, the anode current of device II increases and will flow through device I3 in the absence at this particular instant of the application of a peak positive pulse to the control grid of device I2. The application of the positive peak of a control wave to the control grid of device I2 at this time will switch the ow of current from device I3 to device I2 so that for the duration of this positive peak of the control wave current will flow in series through devices II and I2. Thus current will fiow through device I2 in pulses at spaced time intervals corresponding to those times during which positive peaks of the control wave occur on the control grid of device I2 and simultaneously therewith modulation input of positive polarity is applied to the control grid of device II in excess of black level. Output is taken from the anode of device I2 and is in the 'form of spaced pulses of negative polarity, each pulse having a magnitude which is proportional to the instantaneous magnitude of the video modulation input signal at the time the pulse occurs. Since the source of control waves occurs at an extremely rapid rate, for example, in the case of television of the order of 3.8 megacycles, it will be evident that the picture signal appearing on lead IS is sampled at an extremely rapid rate.

Fig. 3 shows the application of applicants electronic switch to a commutator arrangement in a time division multiplex transmitter. This transmitter is illustrated, by way of example only, as a three-color dot sequential television system employing a commutator at the transmitter having three electronic switches each individual to a particular branch circuit over which it receives modulation in the form or" color information. This commutator may be referred to as a sampler. Another commutator is employed at the remote receiver as will be described later in connection with Fig. 4. The transmitter and receiver samplers perform complementary operations at the same relative times.

The color information from the three branch circuits representing three primary colors is obtained by means of the red, green and blue cameras I0, |02 and |04 respectively. These cameras are focused on the image being televised, and each is in a different color channel. By way of example only, each camera may comprise an iconoscope tube or an image orthicon. In front of each camera there may be provided a suitable colored optical filter arranged so that the video signals corresponding to the intensity of only one component color are developed by each camera. The video modulation outputs from the three color cameras are fed over leads II] I, |03 and |05 respectively, to the electronic stitches I'I, |09 and III, as shown. Each electronic switch comprises a circuit as shown in Fig. 2. The source of control waves S of Fig. 2 corresponds to leads I I2, |I3 and ||4 which extend from the different electronic switches to a three-phase splitter IIS, in turn, fed by sine waves from a sampling oscillator IIE. The sampling oscillator IIb` supplies sinusoidal waves, and these are split up into three components of sine waves each at 120 degrees phase relation relative to the other two, and these three components appear in leads II2, II3 and I I4 and are used to sequentially control the passage of pulse information from the different cameras through electronic switches |01, |09 and III. Thephase shifter I I5 may comprise suitable cird cuits of inductance, resistance, and condenserresistance combinations or articial delay lines having different electrical lengths. The sampling oscillator H may operate at any desired high frequency, preferably of the order of 3.8 megacycles when used in a television system. It will thus be seen that the electronic switches lill', EEB and l l i pass pulses or samples of the applied modulating signals at the same frequency or repetition rate as the sine wave oscillator HS, but the diierent samples occur at different trnes. The modulation or intelligence applied to each electronic switch by its individual camera is an amplitude varying signal. The pulses from the dierent electronic switches are of equal duration and supplied via leads il?, H9 and I2I to a mixer stage i252. The pulses from the electronic switches may be short compared to the time interval between them, contiguous, or even overlapping, depending upon the duration of the peaks of the control waves applied to the electronic switches by the phase splitter. The pulse output from each electronic switch will therefore be an amplitude modulated pulse or sample whose amplitude is a :function of the instantaneous amplitude of the modulation at the time the device l2 of the switch passes current. Stated otherwise, the electronic switches are in the nature of modulators and the outputs therefrom are independently modulated by independent programs or modulation.

The combined output from the electronic switches appearing' in lead 23 is fed to another mixer l24 where it is combined with a standard synchronizing signal fed in over lead 25. The synchronizing pulse supplied to the mixer |24 may also be used to synchronize the sampling oscillator for the commutator at the remote receiver. The output from the mixer 24 appearing on lead TL is a composite video signal including the synchronizing pulses, and this composite signal is fed to an ultra high frequency transmitter for modulating a single carrier wave. If desired, output lead TL may be connected to a standard wire line or coaxial cable.

When the invention is employed in a telephone multiplex system in which speech waves are employed for the modulation, the pulse rate at which each electroni-c switch operates should be equal at least to twice that of the highest speech wave freduency. However, when the invention is employed in a three-color television system, as shown in Fig. 3, in which bits of information from three-color channels or branch circuits are sequentially sampled, the pulse rate in each branch or subchannel may be anywhere in the range of 2.8 to 4 megacycles per second, preferably around 3.8 megacycles, and the pulse output from each branch or electronic switch should be less than the 120 degree time interval allotted to it. In this last case, the synchronizing pulses occur at a rate different from the frequency sine wave oscillator H5; for example, 15,750 cycles per second, compared to a sampling frequency of 3,800,000 cycles per second.

Fig. 4 shows how the electronic switches of the invention can be used in an electronic commutator at the receiving terminal of a three-color dot sequential system for receiving signals of the kind sent out by the transmitter of Fig. 3. The receiver of Fig. 4 comprises a radio receiver 50 of the superheterodyne type which receives over antenna 5l the radio wave from the remote transmitter and converts the same to a video pulse wave in its output lead 52. This video pulse wave in lead 52 is a composite video signal. The train of pulses in the output of the receiver is passed on to the pentode electron discharge device II via blocking condenser 2l and lead i8. It should be noted that the same elements which appear in Fig. 4 and in Fig. 2 have been given the same reference numerals to identify the same elements. Ilhe composite video signal in lead 52 is also passed on to a sync separator 53 which separates the sync pulse from the intelligence carrying branch circuit pulses, by virtue of the differences in their characteristics, and produces on lead 5l! a pulse which synchronizes the operation of the sampling oscillator H5. Suitable synchronizing separators which can be used are Well known in both the telephone multiplex and television arts. The sampling oscillator H8 produces sinusoidal waves and operates at the same lrequency as the sine wave oscillator H6 at the remote transmitting terminal Fig. 3.

The electronic commutator of the receiver of Fig. e operates in a manner generally similar to that described above in connection with Fig. 2 with certain additions to enable obtaining from the cominutator three sequentially occurring pulse outputs for the three diiierent color channels in output circuits represented by video discharge device amplifiers iii, 6l and t2. The different video amplifiers 5B, Si and @E feed different reproducers over their respective leads 53, $5 and 6l. These reproducers may be kinescope tubes, or if desired a single kinescope capable of reproducing the three diierent colors.

The output from the sampling oscillator IIS' is fed to a three-phase splitter i I5 which pro- 3 duces in its output three sinusoidal phase displaced Waves on leads H2', H3 and llll'. The phase displaced waves on these last leads are time displaced at degree intervals relative to each other for sequentially controlling or keying the receiving commutator, thereby enabling the different color channels to sequentially receive the bits of color information assigned to them and transmitted from the remote transmitter.

The commutator of Fig. 4 includes evacuated pentode electron discharge devices ll, l2 and I3,

which are interconnected with each other in the same manner as shown in Fig. 2. It should be noted that pentode i2 has connected to its control grid the rectifier llt, in turn, shunted by the high value resistor l0 in the same manner asthe circuit or" Fig. 2. The control grid of device i2 is fed with control waves through blocking condenser I5 via lead H2. Two additional switching electron discharge devices I2 and l2 are connected to device li in substantially the same manner as is device i2. These two devices IZ and I2 have individual thereto rectiers i4 and I5, each shunted by high value resistors i9 or i9. All three discharge devices I2, i2. and I2" are similarly arranged, although the control grids thereof are supplied with control waves over different leads H2', H3 and l Iii', as the result of which these pentode devices l2, i2. and l2" sequentially pass pulses of modulation therethrough and supply them to different output color channels represented by leads 511, 58 and 59. Lead 5l feeds its signal through a video amphi-ier B to lead 53 extending to a redr signal reproducer, lead 58 feeds its signal through a. videol amplifier 5| to lead 65 extending to a green signal reprcducer, while lead 59 feeds its signal through a video amplifier 62 to lead. 57 extending to a blue signal reproducer. Since the control waves from the phase splitter H5 are at the same frequency but phase displaced at 12o degree intervals, -it will be seen that first one device l2 passes the modulation supplied thereto through device Il, then device l2 will be cut oir and device l2 will pass modulation supplied thereto through device Il, then device l2 will be cut off and device l2 will pass modulation supplied thereto through device Il. This cycle of operation will repeat itself. During the time when none of the discharge devices I2, I2 and l2 are conducting, device I3 will be conducting over a path including device Il in series therewith.

The pentode discharge device Il and its associated clamp diode for setting the D. C. level operates in the same manner as described before in connection with the same numbered elements in Fig. 2. The positive and negative clamp pulses on leads 3D and 3| are supplied by clamp pulse generator 32 which, in turn, is actuated over lead 33 extending to the output of the sync separator 53.

In summarizing the operation of the receiver of Fig. 4, the receiving electronic commutator operates synchronously with the transmitting electronic ccmmutator and feeds the selected pulses to each of the signal reproducers in succession. For instance, the information modulation originated in one branch circuit or color channel at the transmitting terminal Fig. 3 (corresponding let us say to the red color), will be fed to the signal reproducer in the corresponding branch circuit or color channel at the receiving terminal Fig. 4, while the information or modulation originating in another branch circuit or color channel at the transmitting terminal (for example the green color), will be fed to the signal reproducer in the corresponding branch circuit or color channel at the receiving terminal, and similarly in regard to the third branch circuit or color channel (for example the blue color). The commutator at the receiver, in effect, samples the composite video signal and passes on to the different outputs pulses whose amplitudes are determined by the amplitude of the composite wave at that particular instant. The iconoscope or signal reproducer which is controlled by the video amplier in any one receiving color channel will have a particular color producing phosphor. Thus, the three different iconoscopes will have different appropriate color producing phosphors. The monochrome color records thus produced are then optically combined to form a complete television color image.

Among the advantages of the electronic switch of the invention, particularly when used in connection with the color television system of Figs. 3 and 4 are: (a) An extremely short output pulse can be obtained from the electronic switch without resorting to the use of pulse Shapers. (b) High voltage level pulse outputs are obtainable. (c) The amplitude of the pulse modulated signal can be made to be higher than the applied video signal. (d) Signals below black level are prevented from appearing on the output; that is, sync pulses are clipped off. (e) rThe electronic switch avoids balance problems inherent in more conventional modulators. (f) There is avoided the need for balanced drive by enabling the use of single-ended drive of oscillations of the sampling frequency, and (g) It is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

The term ground used in the description and appended claims is not limited to an actual earthed connection and is deemed to include any reference point of xed or zero R. F. potential.

What I claim is:

i. An electronic switch comprising a pair of electron discharge devices each having a control electrode, a cathode and an anode, a third electron discharge device having an anode, a cathode and a control electrode, a direct current connection from said last anode to the cathodes of said pair of devices, a direct current connection from the cathode of said third device to ground, whereby said third device is in the common cathode circuit of said pair of devices, means for supplying a potential to said anodes of said pair or" devices which is positive relative to ground, a source oi modulation coupled to the control electrode of said third device, means or difierently biasing the devices or" said pair, and means for applying recuring waves of such peak magnitude and polarity to the control electrode of one device of said pair as to overcome at least in part the bias thereon and thereby enable current to pass therethrough.

2. An electronic switch comprising a pair of electron discharge devices having a grid-controlled discharge device in the common cathode circuit thereof, means for applying a signal wave to the grid of said last discharge device, means whereby recurring waves of positive polarity applied to the grid of one device of said pair cuts o the flow of current through the other device of said pair, said means including a source of unidirectional potential having a positive terminal connected to the anodes of said pair of devices and a negative terminal connected to the cathode of said grid-controlled discharge device in the common cathode circuit, an effective connection from a point intermediate said terminals to the grid of said other device of said pair, a rectifier coupled between the grid of said one device and another point intermediate said terminals for setting the direct current value of the positive peak of said recurring waves, and means for abstracting output pulses from said one device.

3. An electronic switch comprising a pair of electron discharge devices having a common cathode impedance, means for varying the value of said impedance in accordance with the amplitude value of a varying signal, means coupled to said common cathode impedance for enabling a predetermined value of current to ow therethrough without passing through either of said pair of discharge devices, and means whereby recurring waves of positive polarity applied to the grid of one device cut oi the flow of current through the other device.

4. An electronic switch comprising a pair of electron discharge devices each provided with a control grid, a screen grid, a cathode and an anode, a connection capable of passing direct current connected between said screen grids, a common cathode circuit including an electron discharge device therein for said pair of devices. means for applying a signal wave to the grid of said last device, said last device having an anode connected to the cathodes of said pair of devices and having a cathode connected to ground, means for applying positive potentials relative to ground to the anodes of said pair of devices and a lesser positive potential to the cathodes of said pair of devices, and means whereby recurring waves of positive polarity relative to ground applied to the control grid of one device of said pair cut oii' the flow of current through the other device of said pair.

5. An electronic switch comprising a pair of electron discharge devices each provided with a control grid, a screen grid, a cathode and an anode, a connection capable of passing direct current connected between said screen grids. a common cathode circuit including an electron discharge device therein for said pair of devices, means for applying a signal wave to the grid of said last device, said last device having an anode connected to the cathodes of said pair of devices and having a cathode connected to ground, means for applying positive potentials relative to ground to the anodes of said pair of devices and a lesser positive potential to the cathodes of said pairV of devices, and means whereby recurring waves of positive polarity relative to ground applied to the control grid of one device o said pair cut oit the ow of current through the other device of said pair, a rectifier coupled between the control grid of said one device and a source of unidirectional potential for setting the direct current value of the positive peak of said recurring waves, and an output circuit coupled to the anode of said one device of said pair.

6. An electronic switch comprising a pair of electron discharge devices each provided with a control grid, a screen grid, a cathode and an anode, a connection capable of passing direct current connected between said screen grids, a

common cathode circuit including an electron discharge device therein for said pair of devices, means for applying a signal wave to the grid of said last device, said last device having an anode connected to the cathodes of said pair oi devices and having a cathode connected to ground, means for maintaining the anodes of said pair of devices at a positive potential relative to ground and maintaining an electrode of said common cathode circuit discharge device other than its cathode at a lesser positive potential relative to ground, and means whereby recurring waves of positive polarity relative to ground applied to the control grid of one device of said pair cut oi the flow of current through the other device of said pair.

7. An electronic switch comprising a pair of pentode vacuum tubes having a common cathode circuit, said common cathode circuit including another pentode vacuum tube whose cathode is connected to ground through a resistor, direct current connections between coi'- responding screen and suppressor grids of said pair of tubes, a source of unidirectional potential for supplying the anodes of said pair of tubes with a positive potential relative to ground and the cathodes of said pair of tubes with a lesser value of positive potential relative to ground, a connection between the suppressor grid and control grid of one tube of said pair, a connection for maintaining said control grid of said one tube of said pair at a fixed potential which is positive relative to ground, means whereby recurring waves of positive polarity relative to ground applied to the control grid of the other tube of said pair cut ofi the now of current through said one tube of said pair, means for applying a modulated signal to the pentode tube in said common cathode circuit, and an output circuit coupled to the anode of the other tube of said pair.

8. An electronic switch comprising a pair of pentode vacuum tubes having a common cathode circuit, said common cathode circuit including another pentode vacuum tube Whose cathode is connected to ground through a resistor, direct current connections between corresponding screen and suppressor grids of said pair of tubes, a source of unidirectional potential for supplying the anodes of said pair of tubes with a positive potential relative to ground and the cathodes of said pair of tubes with a lesser valuev of positive potential relative to ground, a connection between the suppressor grid and control grid of one tube of said pair, a connection for maintaining said control grid of said one tube of said pair at a fixed potential which is positive relative to ground, means whereby recurring waves of positive polarity relative to ground applied t0 the control grid of the other tube of said pair cut on the flow of current through said one tube of said pair, means for applying an amplitude modulated signal of positive polarity to the control grid of the pentode tube in said common cathode circuit, and a rectier coupled to the control grid of the other tube of said pair for setting the direct current value of the positive peak of said recurring waves.

9. An electronic commutator comprising a plurality of electronic switches each including rst and second electron discharge devices having a third electron discharge device in the common cathode circuit thereof, means for supplying the grid of the second device of each switch with a relatively fixed direct current voltage relative t0 ground, means for supplying the grid of the rst device of each switch with a recurring voltage wave, and means for supplying a signal to be passed by each switch to the grid of the third device; a single source for supplying said recurring voltage waves for said plurality of' switches, and means between said source and said switches for time displacing the waves supplied to any one switch relative to those supplied to any other switch.

10. A time division multiplex system employing an electronic commutator comprising a plurality of electronic switches each including iirst and second electron discharge devices having a third electron discharge device in the cathode circuit thereof, means for supplying the grid of the second device of each switch with a relatively xed direct current voltage relative to ground, means for supplying the grid of the rst device of each switch with a recurring voltage wave, an output connection to the anode of said rst device of each switch, and means for supplying a signal to be passed by each switch to the grid of the third device; a single source for supplying said recurring voltage waves for said plurality of switches, and means between said source and said switches for time displacing the waves supplied to any one switch relative to those supplied to any other switch, and means coupled to the output connections of said electronic switches for mixing the output waves therefrom.

1l. An electronic commutator comprising a plurality of vacuum tubes having a common cathode circuit, an electron discharge device in said common cathode circuit and having its cathode connected to ground through a resistor, means for supplying a signal to be passed by said commutator to the grid of said electron discharge device, means for supplying recurring positive voltages waves to the grids of said vacuum tubes but at different times, different output circuits coupled to the diiierent anodes of said vacuum tubes, means for setting the direct current value of the positive peak of the recurring voltage waves applied to the grids of said vacuum tubes, said last means including rectiiiers individually coupled to said grids of said vacuum tubes, and means for maintaining the anodes of said vacuum tubes at a positive potential relative to ground and the cathodes of said vacuum tubes at a lesser positive potential relative to ground.

12. An electronic commutator comprising a plurality of vacuum tubes having a common cathode circuit, an electron discharge device in said common cathode circuit and having its cathode connected to ground through a resistor, means for supplying a signal to be passed by said commutator to the grid of said electron discharge device, means for supplying recurring positive voltage waves to the grids of said vacuum tubes but at diierent times, different output circuits coupled to the different anodes of said vacuum tubes, still another vacuum tube having its cathode connected directly to the cathodes of said iirst vacuum tubes so as to share said common cathode circuit, and means for supplying the grid of said other vacuum tube with a xed positive voltage relative to ground.

13. A time division color television system employing an electronic commutator comprising a plurality of vacuum tubes having a common cathode circuit, an electron discharge device in said common catho-de circuit and having its cathode connected to ground through a resistor, means for supplying a composite video signal to be passed by said commutator to the grid of said electron discharge device, means for supplying recurring positive voltage Waves to the grids of said vacuum tubes but at different times, different output circuits coupled to the different anodes of said vacuum tubes, still another vacuum tube having its cathode connected directly to the cathodes of said first vacuum tubes so as to share said common cathode circuit, and means for supplying the grid of said other vacuum tube with a xed positive voltage relative to ground, each output circuit including a video amplier and means for reproducing the color information therein.

14. An electronic switch comprising a pair of electron discharge devices each having a grid, an anode and a cathode, a direct connection between the cathodes of said devices, means for applying a signal to be passed by said switch to said connection, means for differently biasing said devices whereby one device is in the anode current cut-oil? condition, and the other device passes current, means for applying recurring waves to the grid of said one device, said waves having a peak value sufficient to enable said one device to pass anode current and to thereby reduce the iiow of current in said other device, and a unidirectional current passing valve shunted by a resistor coupled between the grid and cathode oI said one device.

15. An electronic commutator comprising a. plurality of electronic switches each including a pair of discharge devices having a common cathode circuit, means for differently biasing the devices of each pair such that one device is normally cut-oil, means for respectively applying different waves to be passed by said switches to the different common cathode circuits of said switches, and means coupled to the grids of the normally cut-off devices of the different pairs for applying recurring control waves thereto, said control Waves being applied to the different switches in phase displaced relation and having such peak value as to overcome the cut-off bias of said one device.

16. An electronic commutator comprising a. plurality of electronic switches each including a pair of discharge devices having a common cathode circuit, means for differently biasing the devices of each pair such that one device is normally cut off, a separate diode shunted by a resistor coupled between the grid and cathode of each respective normally cut-off device, means for respectively applying different waves to be passed by said switches to the different common cathode circuits of said switches, and means coupled to the grids of the normally cut-off devices of the different pairs for applying recurring control waves thereto, said control waves being applied to the different switches in phase displaced relation and having such peak value as to overcome the cut-oi bias of said one device.

EDWIN A. GOLDBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,445,448 Miller July 20, 1948 2,465,371 Grieg Mar. 29, 1949 2,489,269 Cleeton Nov. 29, 1949 2,521,010 Homrighous Sept. 5, 1950 2,572,016 Elbourne Oct. 23, 1951 2,572,792 White Oct. 23, 1951 

